Vodka got out of the car and walked to the agreed meeting place.
The shadow cast by the bridge covered the quiet riverbank. From afar, a lone figure could be seen standing in the shadows.
Seeing Goro Akechi's appearance, he couldn't help but freeze.
"…You changed your clothes." Vodka cautiously scanned the surroundings again, took a few steps forward, and remarked as he examined his outfit.
Akechi Goro turned around. Upon hearing that, his handsome face darkened immediately. Although he wore sunglasses, Vodka could still faintly sense that the other party was rolling his eyes. "This is the beach… Am I really supposed to wear long sleeves and trousers to the beach? Are you serious?"
Vodka was caught off guard and almost choked.
That tone… that wasn't like him at all.
But as he spoke, Akechi had already removed his sunglasses and hooked them onto his collar, fully revealing his face.
Whether it was the voice or the beach shorts and short-sleeved shirt, the man in front of him was indeed Kumail himself.
Looks like things aren't going well for him today. Brother Gin was right—he's in a terrible mood...
With that in mind, Vodka walked up and tapped the large suitcase beside him. "He's in here?"
"Yeah. Want to check?" Akechi Goro crossed his arms. "I gave him two KA03 pills. He won't be waking up today."
At the mention of that keyword, Vodka paused and immediately understood the source of his bad mood. He reminded him: "You should've had tranquilizer darts or anesthetics in your supplies."
Using something like that… he made the choice himself, so he shouldn't take it out on uninvolved colleagues.
"I didn't come to Izu to arrest anyone… so I didn't pack for that." Akechi Goro stepped back a little, his posture alert. "I could only use what I had on hand."
...A fair point.
Feeling he had seen through the whole picture, Vodka relaxed slightly.
It was sinister, sure, but at least knowing the source of his temper meant he wouldn't suddenly snap and lash out.
The antidote Gin gave him last time didn't include anything for this type.
Goro Akechi was someone who always disguised himself and maintained tight emotional control. There was no way he'd tolerate any kind of outburst due to KA withdrawal.
And given his long history with the organization, there had never been a single rumor of him having a mental breakdown. He must have been using KA03 regularly.
Lacking the usual control options, Kumail had no choice but to use what he carried with him to pacify the "cargo."
So that's it...
No wonder he nearly argued with the boss on that variety show last time...
Everything lined up. Vodka nodded, feeling he'd finally caught up to Gin's foresight. He couldn't help but admire Gin's accurate prediction about Kumail.
Feeling a bit more at ease, Vodka pulled the suitcase containing Jiang Yuan Shinan forward and unzipped it.
The thin Jiang Yuan Shinan was curled up awkwardly inside, squeezed into a square suitcase. His face had a disturbingly sweet smile that made Vodka's scalp tingle.
KA03… really is something.
After checking his breathing and pulse and confirming stable vitals, Vodka pulled a metal canister from his pocket and tossed it to Akechi Goro.
"Here. …You'd better take it when you're back." Vodka easily picked up the suitcase and reminded him before jogging out from under the bridge.
What if the guy ignored him and took both pills on the spot… who knows what kind of madness would follow.
Kumail was a paranoid man who obsessed over his image. If he were to go berserk and Vodka ran into him—just bad luck. Easy way to get blacklisted.
These coworkers were all a headache. Best to keep a healthy distance from them.
Watching Vodka hurry away, Xingchuan Hui picked up the canister with confusion and glanced at the label.
His expression darkened.
No wonder...
He gripped the cold metal tightly, wanting to throw it far away—out of sight, out of mind—but after a second thought, he considered Kazawa might still need it…
He took two deep breaths, calmed himself, then put the sunglasses from his collar back on. He stepped out from under the bridge and into the scorching summer sunlight.
His car was parked on the roadside, its matte black paint glinting faintly.
Holding the roof with one hand, he opened the door. A brief glint caught his eye in the rearview mirror. He curled his lip slightly, then started the car and headed back to the hotel.
"He left. No sign of any other vehicles or tails."
"Understood. We can retreat now." Gin hung up the call, unsurprised, and waited for Vodka to return with the others.
Since they started working with him, Kumail had always been extremely cautious, with clean and precise methods. Even now, Akemi Miyano was still classified as "missing" by the police.
So, even though Gin had arranged for a sniper as backup, he hadn't truly believed it would be necessary.
Just a precaution.
———
"Just a precaution."
Xingchuan Hui slammed the metal canister onto the table and slumped onto the sofa like his batteries had run out.
Kazawa picked up the palm-sized tin and shook it a few times, hearing the pills clink inside.
"This the KA series antidote?" Kazawa raised an eyebrow after turning it around and seeing the label.
He had given Amuro Tooru a set of similar drug formulas before, but obtaining the actual antidote the organization used gave it comparative value.
Xingchuan Hui covered his face and didn't respond.
"Hey, hey, you're not crying, are you?" Kazawa pulled his hand away. "You good?"
"Who would cry…" Xingchuan Hui rolled his eyes and sighed. "I just feel like… my way of doing things is so different from yours. Aren't you worried I'll mess up and get exposed?"
Kazawa shrugged, wearing the cocky grin of a carefree brother: "What's there to worry about? You're Swallowing Hayato, way more capable than me."
"…True." Xingchuan Hui gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
"As long as you follow what I say, they won't just avoid suspecting me—they'll trust me more." Kazawa tossed the pill can up and down in his hand and looked down at Xingchuan Hui. From his angle, Kazawa's shadow covered his entire face, making him look especially sinister. "Having flaws and vulnerabilities makes you more like a reckless kid… easier to control, right?"
Hearing that, Xingchuan Hui couldn't help glancing at the rattling medicine jar, his expression complicated.
Just like Kazawa predicted, the organization had given him the antidote as a "reward."
It was hard to say which was scarier—the organization's manipulation, or Kazawa's ability to see through it all.
"Thanks for the hard work today," Kazawa said, patting his shoulder more seriously now. "But you need more training in this area. Let's set a small goal. When you go back—do a variety show appearance for me."
Xingchuan Hui, who had been completely drained and collapsed on the sofa, instantly jumped up: "Hey! Don't throw impossible things at me!"
"It's because it's impossible that you have to do it!" Kazawa smacked him on the forehead, completely ignoring his protest. "You said you wanted to stay and help, so first you gotta learn how to act like 'Akechi Goro' with that face of yours!"
Xingchuan Hui flailed in protest, grabbed Kazawa by the collar, and yelled, "Whose fault is that?! Who gave me a character that's completely inconsistent with who I am?!"
"And you insisted on staying here instead of going to the U.S. without even asking me first!"
Miyano Akemi, flipping through a newspaper at the entrance, snapped the paper closed, looked up at the two squabbling men, and interrupted calmly, "You two, quiet down. Someone's knocking at the door."